Recent studies within childhood research reveal a conceptualization of children, as social and cultural actors with an active role in the creation of their own knowledge and in the research on education aspects that concern them (Oliveira-Formosinho, 2008).

According to Scott (2005), children are best placed to give information about themselves. We must not only observe them but also pay attention to what they have to say.

Supporting this thesis, our communication will address the importance of the contribution of a group of children from a Mainstreem Preschool to the quality analysis of educational practices.

This study is framed in the implementation of a Project of Evaluation and Quality Development (by Pascal, Bertram, Ramsden, Georgeson, Saunders & Mould, 1998),  adapted to the Portuguese reality, from the original version of "Effective Early Learning" – Ministery of Education, named “Desenvolvendo a Qualidade em Parcerias – DQP” (Developing a Quality in Partnership - DQP), a project coordinated by Júlia Oliveira-Formosinho (in progress). This model is being used as a tool of assessment and monitorization of Preschool Education and its aim is to improve the quality of early childhood settings.

Within a democratic and co-responsible framework, this survey involves the collaboration of several participants (teachers, children, parents, carers, school leaders and staff) in the analysis and evaluation of ten dimensions of quality (aims and objectives, curriculum / learning experiences, strategies teaching and learning, planning, evaluation and recording, educational space, staff, relationships and interactions, equal opportunities, participation in family and community, monitoring and assessment).

The survey includes three aspects of evaluation i) context, ii) process and iii) results (Pascal et al., 1998). DQP model is based on five structural axes i) a design contextual quality, ii) a democratic approach to quality evaluation, iii) three levels of action to include the context, processes and outputs, iv) a cooperative vision of the evaluation and development (under the action research) and v) the use of instruments in order to assess the starting point and following acquisitions (Oliveira-Formosinho, 2009).

The right of participating is enabled by giving children the opportunity to be listened to and to express themselves (Ribeiro, 2009a).

In this model of assessment, children are considered the subject of educational practice and partners with right participation in the analysis of those dimensions contributing with their opinion.

The case study presented was held during the academic year 2007-2008, in a Mainstreem Preschool and it contributed to the adaptation of the referred model evaluation to Portuguese reality (Ribeiro, 2009b). 

Our aim in this communication is to disclose the contribution of children and examine two dimensions of quality of the educational process: i) the purposes and objectives of education and ii) strategies for teaching and learning, as well as to understand what extent children’s voice may be important on the discussion with the educators about the quality of the teaching-learning

We analyzed the results of interviews with children and our findings give an important contribution to the reflection of kindergaten teachers on the quality of the teaching-learning.

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